heh, reading about everyone else have a crusty bitch of a time in school is kinda of relieving because then i know i'm not the only one stressing.
calc is actually a "short cut" from doing long drawn out algebra equations because as everyone knows, mathmaticians are fucking lazy. they cut corners and abbreviate wherever they can get away with it. integrals and derivatives is just a way to sum up x amount of algebra equations into one calc equation with relatively little fuss. i mean, i know what you are all saying about it being oh snap as a class, because i totally agree. but i also see how much it can be applied to real world problems, retarded or not. BUT, i have not yet met a good calc teacher honestly. most of them i think teach in a way that THEY can understand, with no real regard for the class in most cases. the fact that the majority of them are over 50 doesn't help either. i imagine if i had like a 24 year old math teacher things would go better because they'd be more in tune with the real world us youngins see. and you know when the teacher goes "alright everyone understand?" and the whole class just stares, and then there is like 10 secs of silence, then the teach says "ok....moving on then to cylindrical shells.." and then you feel like, ahhhh crap i didn't understand the last part even...
tutoring centers help a lot in my opinion. i know one of the UMD math tutors and she knows her shit.
i myself am also in that precarious situation where i'm right between a C- and a D, and i need the C to count towards my major.
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